River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-10-06
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
slaNINa rnE FARM AwAY.

/
oft as the harvest camei
! Crowded barn AMI crowded bin
/ And still the loads kept coming in
And the fourth in the family line appears.
! Orchards covered the slopes OF the hill
| Cider-fOrty barrels they say,
| Sure in season TO come from the mill,
To be tasted round Thanksgiving day
| Aud they drank as they work and ate,
| " inter and summer, early aud late,
/ Counting il as a great miShap
/ To be found without a "barrei on tap.
But, while the seasons crept along,
And passions into habits grew,
| Their appetites became 50 strong
| fsever any drunkard knew.
And they labored less, and they squandered
| more,
Chiefly for rum at the village store,
Till called by the sheriff one bitter day,
To sign the homestead farm away.
The father, shattered and scented with rum !;
The mother, sick and pale and thin,
/ Under the weight of her sorrows dumb,
| In debt tor the bed she was lying in T;
/ OH saw the wrecked household around
| her stand
And the Justice lifted her trembling hand,
| Helping her, as in her bed she lay,
To Sign the homestead farm away.
| All, how she wept, and the foot of tears
| Swept down her temples barrel
And her father, already bowed with years.
Bowed lower with despair.
Drink Drink IL had ripaned into woe
For them and all they loved below,
And forced them poor and old and gray,
To sign the homestead farm away.
Oh, many scenes have | met in my life,
And many a call to pray;
But the saddest of all was the druukard's
wife
Signing the farm away!
Home Qnca richest in all the TOWN
Home, in that fatal cup poured down,
Worse than fire or floods dismay-
Drunkards signing the farm away!
-Congregationalist
FRUIT FOR FARMERS.
There is no question that the great
majority Of our people who live in the
country do not enjoy what they might
in the way of horticultural comforts and
INJURIES. They occasionally have a
fine treat of delicious fruit--it may be
from some careful and diligent neighbor,
or from an isolated tree on their own
grounds. But during most of the days
of the year they have nothing. A fruit
raiser sent choice dishes of strawberries
and raspberries to some of his neigh
bors, offering at the same time the
plants. gratis for planting time. They
were .sdelighted-would certainly plant
and raise the fruit for themselves. 7"
But when planting time came, every
one forgot his resolutiou-they were
busy about other things. 1t was true
that one of them bought of travelling
agent some high priced plants, most of
which died for want of care, and the
few which lived and bore proved in
ferior to those which the neighbor
offered without pay.
If anyone will take the trouble TO
inquire, he will find that very few of
his neighbors have regular and daily
supply of fresh fruit for their families,
or on their tables Is it because they
are too poor to raise it? Not at all
the cost is trifling-they have land
enough-their grounds are growing
more weeds in quantity than the re-
quired growth of fruit bearing plants,
The great need is the absence of in
telligence and the want of interest. The
people have not informed themselves
how easy it would be to provide con-
tinuous supply of these luxuries. They
do not know of the best and most pro-
ductive sorts. If they happen to pro-
cure any, it does not receive the same
care that farmers give their corn and
potatoes, and the plants either die or
yield poor supplies. 1t can not be
denied that these remarks apply to a
great multitude, while there are many
exceptions Not being informed as TO
the best sorts. they are sometimes badly
| imposed on BY counterfeit fruit agents.
The families suffer the privatiOn of both
the health and comfort which might be
easily afforded The owners, with the
plea that they ''can not afford to raise
| fruit, lose the benefit of the economy
which a plentiful supply would give
them.
The remedy for these formidable de
fleets is to educate the people at large
to let them know what the best fruit is;
how easily it may be had under proper
care; to learn how much it would aid in
lessening doctors bills; TO see how it
would reduce grocers' bills, and to con-
tribute towards making pleasant homes.
Those who have plenty of excellent
fruit may aid in the good work by send
ing pfeStubo 70 IHelI ltig uDolS anu SHOW
how readily they may help themselves;
while on a larger scale periodicals,
books and fruit-growers' societies may
aid largely in the general good j.
Thomas IN Country Gentleman.
FATTENING STOCK.
Enough attention is seldom paid to
surroundings in fattening stock. Good
feed, although of first importance,is not
all that is required. Regularity of teed-
ing has much to do with easy tattenlng.
Cattle housed and kept warm will thrive
and fatten rapidly, but at the same time
they need exercise, and should be let
out daily for it. Fattening hogs ought
to be kept from dampness and wet.
The bed especially should be dry and
warm. Watering regularly will also
greatly aid in fattening stock. 1t is
true that stock will fatten under neglect,
but at an expense of more feed and at a
greater loss than if proper care and at
tention are used. Sheep need more
ventilation i'm their sheds or barns than
other stock. for if kept in poorly ventil
ated quarters they are apt to contract